Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese Are Rivals, But It's Not Bitter

Clark and Reese have made it clear they respect each other's games.

LSU v Iowa / Maddie Meyer/GettyImages

LSU and Iowa meet Monday night in Albany, New York for a chance to return to the Final Four. It's a rematch of one of the biggest women's college basketball games of all-time that took place in the 2023 NCAA women's national championship game, which was won by LSU, 102-85. The lasting image of that game was Angel Reese taunting Caitlin Clark by waving her hand in front of her face while pointing to her ring finger. Since that moment, their rivalry has hung over the sport despite the fact that both players have made it clear it's nothing personal.

Reese was asked multiple times over the weekend how she felt about Clark and she made it clear that the moment was nothing but trash talk.

"Me and Caitlin Clark don't hate each other," Reese said. "I want everybody to understand that. It's just a super competitive game. Once I get between those lines, there's no friends. I have plenty of friends on the court that I talk to outside of the game, but like when I get between those lines, we're not friends. We're not buddies. I'm going to talk trash to you. I'm going to do whatever it takes to get in your head the whole entire game, but after the game we can kick it." 

Reese also called Clark a killer and said that she loves her and her game. Meanwhile, Clark has been equally complimentary of Reese saying she watches a lot of LSU basketball and looks forward to their careers continuing in the WNBA.

"Obviously, she played in the Big Ten for a while to begin her career and that’s what makes women’s basketball so fun. You have great competition and that’s what we’ve had all year long. But I think Angel would say the same, it’s not just us in women’s basketball. That’s not the only competitive thing about where our game is at and that’s what makes it so good. We need multiple people to be really good. I think both of our careers, whether she decides to stay or to go, we’ll have great careers in the WNBA and that’s been both of our dreams all along. So I think we’re both excited for that as well.”

Whichever team advances to the Final Four, questions about a vanquished foe will be there waiting.

Stephen Douglas is a staff writer at The Big Lead.